Kelty Redwing 50 Review

Kelty Redwing Hiking Backpack

Are you looking for a good traveling backpack? Most brands boast that their products can look after your needs of easy-to-use, comfortable packs, but can they really? Today, we’re going to see what Kelty’s Redwing 50 can do for you, but we won’t say that this bag is perfect – we’ll only state the facts so you can be the judge.

What We’ll Talk About

We’ll talk about the performance, comfort, durability, and price of this magnificent backpack. Furthermore, we’ll discuss the various styles and color variations of Kelty’s Redwing 50, the value for the cash, and all the good and bad things concerning this backpack.

If you happen to like this product, we’ll also add a couple of words about the brand itself, as they offer premium-quality outdoor & camping equipment and gear.

A Word About Kelty

Even though Kelty is one of the younger brands, they’re very innovative. The founder of this company is Asher Kelty – the man who’s “responsible” for the very first external-frame backpack type. He’s also the inventor of aluminum-framed backpacks.

Asher founded the Kelty Company in the September of 2004, and they’ve been doing quite well so far. Apart from backpacks, Kelty also manufactures and sells high-end tents, sleeping bags, and various outdoor, hiking, and camping miscellaneous gear.

If you’re interested in internal-frame backpacks, external-frame packs, daypacks, backpack accessories, tents, or such, you might like Kelty’s Revol, Reva, Coyote, Riot, and other series. Just keep in mind, Kelty’s products do not come cheap. They hold quite a value, though.

The Redwing Series – What’s so special about it?

The Redwing Series is considered to be Kelty’s ultimate backpack generation. The packs in this series are made of premium-quality materials, they boast massive comfort and durability ratings, and they’re equipped with state-of-the-art features.

Putting it short – The Redwing series is a high-end one, as most products cost quite a lot, but they boast tremendous value for the cash. It’s safe to say that you can’t go wrong if you take your pick from this generation of packs.

The best of the bunch

There are a few reasons why we would single out the Redwing 50 from the rest of the group. First of all, it’s decently affordable. In fact, it’s one of the cheaper Redwing backpacks (Redwing 50 USA is five times more expensive, for instance).

Furthermore, it’s stuck in the golden middle in terms of performance, durability, and size. Some models from this generation are either smaller or too bulky, but each model is good in its own right. It just happens that Redwing 50 is better, if by just a bit.

Kelty Redwing 50 Appearance & Style

Some would say that this backpack is stylish, but that would be an understatement. Kelty’s Redwing 50 looks absolutely ravishing. It’s a modern hiking backpack that boasts a considerable number of features that make it look exquisite and unique.

There’s a “Kelty” logo on the top opening, along with the “Redwing 50” on the smallest compartment – a sure guarantee of prestigious quality of this outstanding brand. Furthermore, there are various straps, zippers, and loops that are placed in perfect symmetry with one another.

Kelty Redwing 50 comes in four color variations:

Solid Black – The solid black is the standard color of Kelty’s Redwing 50. It looks elegant, but still casual and laid back. There’s a manifold of reasons why this should be your first pick and a favorite, but there’s also one reason why it shouldn’t be – black tends to get dirty more easily than the other colors.

Garnet Red – The Garnet Red color combination looks desirable, to say the least. The loops, hook straps, zippers, and the logos are colored in bright orange, as to separate them from the rest of the construction. Garnet Red is the Redwing, as this color variation looks really good, and it will make sure that you’re easily noticeable by your group during your hiking trips.

Ponderosa Pine – Green-lovers would be delighted to own the Ponderosa Pine Redwood 50. This color variation is a mixture of aquatic-like greenish and dark-green colors, and its outward appearance is staggeringly beautiful. This is, perhaps, the best color variation for outdoor trips.

Twilight Blue – Twilight Blue looks comforting, but it also represents a paradox. The Redwing implies burning desires of those with adventurous spirits while the Twilight blue looks soothing and pacifying.

The Overall Style & Appearance rating of Kelty’s Redwing 50 is 5 out of 5 stars. There’s nothing much to add – this is a beautiful backpack, and it deserves a clean 5 out of 5. Every color variation of this model features vivid colors that look dashing and extremely appealing.

Kelty Redwing 50 Comfort

When it comes to comfortability with the Kelty Redwing 50 liter hiking backpack, Kelty makes sure that you’ll be able to hike for miles and miles without any discomfort. This is in large part thanks to their design of the suspension built around this backpack:

Perfect Fit Suspension – Provides you with a customized comfortable fit that gives you an accurate on body adjustments. This is easily done with three simple steps for making sure that it fits appropriately.

Hex Mesh Back Panel – The Hex Mesh back panel provides your back with a comfortable suspension of the back off your back so that it almost feels like there is nothing on your back at all!

Ventilating Back – This is easily an obvious benefit to the comfort of backpacking as the back is ventilated, providing you with a nice airflow to keep you nice and dry while you’re out hiking all those miles.

Sternum Strap – The sternum strap provides you with a bit more stability and comfort as it basically locks the backpack in place, keeping it nice, tight and secured to your body, allowing you to leverage your own body weight without the pack weighing you down.

The Overall Comfort rating of Kelty’s Redwing 50 is 5 out of 5 stars. The Redwing provides you with multiple features built to keep you cool and comfortable without sacrificing any quality of the backpack. It truly will keep you hiking all day without issue.

Kelty Redwing 50 Durability

Well, we can’t speak about durability and comfort of this extraordinary backpack without mentioning some of the most important features – the materials of which Kelty’s Redwing 50 is made of. There is a total of three different materials used in the manufacturing process:

Body Fabric – Poly 420D Small Back Stafford – The Poly 420D Small Back Stafford is considered to be pretty tough when unrefined, but this material went through various processes that made it smooth while retaining the usual sturdiness. Kelty’s Redwing 50 features a firm body that is able to withstand elements, accidents, and abuse.

Reinforcement Fabric – Poly 75x150D Tasser Coal – Even though some brands make their products with basic reinforcement materials, Kelty is not one of them. The Poly Tasser Coal is a type of material that ensures that your Redwing 50 will be in your use for years to come. It also provides a substantial boost to the comfort rating, as it’s not too crude.

Frame Material – Aluminum and HDPE – The use of aluminum in the manufacturing process of backpacks is something that made Kelty famous. Redwing 50 is such a bag that features aluminum and HDPE materials in its frame, and it’s safe to say that both your back and belongings will be safe from harm.

Warranty – This is easily one of the most important parts when it comes to durability. With Kelty you can get either a product lifetime warranty or a one year warranty depending on what type of gear you bought from them, luckily backpacks are given a lifetime warranty. To check what’s covered, make sure you read their warranty page.

The Overall Comfort Rating of Kelty’s Redwing 50 is 5 out of 5 stars. Even though Redwing 50 might not be a perfect backpack, it’s surely pretty close to being one. With the maximum 5 out of 5 in durability, you can rest assured that your outdoor trips will be easy and enjoyable every time.

Kelty Redwing 50 Features

The list of Kelty’s Redwing features is vast, to say the least. At first look, you’ll notice only a couple of them, but with closer inspection, you’ll find that there’s a dozen of top-shelf features. Kelty is famous for their state-of-the-art technology which they implement with great care and love, and when something as marvelous as Redwing 50 comes through their hands, the results look like this:

The complete list of Kelty’s Redwing 50 Features:

Dual Side Pockets;

Front pocket;

Front Stash Pocket & Closure Hook;

Side Compression Straps;

Water Bottle Pockets;

Dual Use Sleeve – Laptop or Hydration;

Hide-Away Chain & Handle;

Ice Axe & Trekking Pole Loops;

Key Fob;

HDPE Frame Sheet;

Hex Mesh Back panel, waist belt & shoulder straps;

Padded back panel;

Sternum strap;

Load Lifter Straps;

PerfectFIT™ Suspension;

Single aluminum stay;

Removable Waist Belt;

The overall features rating of Kelty’s Redwing 50 is 5/5.

If we’re to speak about the needs of campers, hikers, mountaineers, climbers, and such, we could easily notice that they need a backpack such as Kelty’s redwing 50. It’s quite self-explanatory, actually – this backpack is very versatile, and it provides the user with means to carry out their outdoor journeys carefree.

Who is it For?

It’s hard to describe the performance of Redwing 50 without seeing it in action. This backpack can help you hoard serious load without putting excess pressure on your back. The laws of physics still apply though, so you will feel cumbersome if you pack more than you can carry.

Why is this backpack so good? It feels natural when worn on your back because of the comfortable and easy-to-use straps and padded back panel. There’s also a pair of load lifter straps that should be used for heavyweight items.

Considering the performance, who is Kelty’s Redwing 50 ideal for?

Casual people who enjoy a trip every once in a while – This bag is quite large, but even casual people could reap its benefits. There’s a lot of space which can be used in versatile ways, so it’s safe to say that Kelty’s Redwing 50 can easily replace most of your luggage and bags.

Serious climbers and hikers – With a perfect score in comfort and durability, it’s pretty obvious why climbers and hikers would benefit the most from Kelty’s Redwing 50. A manifold of features that this backpack comes supplied with ensure that even the most hard-core hikers will feel at ease when they use this bag.

Outdoorsmen and campers – Camping gear usually includes a bunch of stuff, and these items are usually pretty heavy. Some people struggle with the notion that they’ll spend hours before they find a good camping spot, so it’s ludicrous to think that you need to carry a heavyweight bag on top of that. Kelty’s Redwing 50 offers a solution for these situations. Extra-heavy items are not a problem, considering that there’s a lot of space and load lifter straps that will help you carry a bull, if need be.

Mountaineers – Ice axe, trekking pole loops, sternum straps, aluminum stay, hide-away chain, and water bottle pockets. Need we say more? Mountaineers usually carry less gear than hikers, but the quality of features they need when they search for a backpack is substantially different. The aforementioned features, for instance, are the ones you’ll need, and Kelty’s Redwing 50 is here to provide them.

As you can see it’s made for a specific group of people but surely enough, anyone can buy it, and you won’t be hearing anyone complain about its performance. Here’s the deal – this backpack is quite expensive, and it’s not so good for your casual trips if you’re not going to carry a lot of specific items. Anyhow, it’s ideal for campers, hikers, mountaineers, and such.

90%

Style

90%

Comfort

95%

Durability

95%

Functionality

90%

Price

Value for the Price

First of all, let’s put a clear line between the “price” and the “value for the price”. There are a lot of expensive backpacks that couldn’t come close to Kelty’s Redwing 50, but there’s also a handful of cheaper ones that could provide you with similar features, performance, and comfort.

Anyhow, Kelty’s Redwing 50 belongs to the “mid range” price point category, but don’t let it dissuade you – it doesn’t cost a fortune, per se.

This is a marvelous high-end bag with a decent price tab and its value can be seen through the ratings we’ve mentioned – excellent performance, majestic outlook, great comfort, and a brilliant durability rate. These are the reasons why Kelty’s Redwing 50 is valuable for the money.

To wrap up the we’ll briefly cover what’s good and what’s bad about this 50 liter hiking backpack:

The Good about Kelty Redwing 50:

Stylish look –Kelty offers this Redwing 50 liter backpack in four vibrant colors that look great both in style and design.

Comfortable feel – With numerous design features that Kelty went with in this backpack you should feel very comfortable in your travels. From the mesh back with air flow to the adjustable suspension system, you’ll be hiking without issue for hours on end.

Well built with quality materials – Kelty did not skimp when it came to the materials in their manufacturing design. They provide us with top knotch materials that will keep this backpack in usable condition for many many years to come.

Loads of features – This says it all for itself, there are a ton of features and you may not even get around to using them all.

Warranty – Warranties are great and so is Kelty, just be sure to read the length of your warranty as it will vary depending on the product you purchase. Backpacks are given a lifetime warranty.

The Bad about Kelty Redwing 50:

Heavy load – A heavy load with the Redwing can start to feel a little cumbersome after awhile so we suggest not over-packing the 50 liter backpack unless you are en experienced hiker or know you’ll be taking frequent breaks.

Not for everyone – As you can see this backpack isn’t for everyone, it tends to be more designed and built for the outdoor folk and those with experience using hiking backpacks.

The Final Verdict

We would like to conclude our Kelty’s Redwing 50 review with a few words of admiration towards the brand and one of their top models. This backpack is beautiful, durable, it excels in performance, the features it comes supplied with are top-shelf, and it boasts a massive value for the cash.

If you’re searching for a high-end hiking & camping backpack, you simply can’t go wrong with Kelty’s Redwing 50. We give the Kelty Redwing 50 liter backpack an Overall Rating of 5 out of 5 stars!